


His Last Watch

by iSaphura



Category: Lupin III
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Missing Scene, POV First Person, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24984850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iSaphura/pseuds/iSaphura
Summary: Lupin is in custody, Goemon is behind bars, and Inspector Zenigata is looking at the end of his assignment. Of course, things are rarely so easy. Takes place at the end of Part 5.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	His Last Watch

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion to "Ship of Fools" and while you don't need to read that one first, there are some overlapping scenes. This story takes place between episodes 22 and 23 of Part 5, and during episode 23 as well. Some reference to past specials and parts. The dialogue from the episodes is a combination of the English subs and dubs. Shout out to those on Discord who helped me figure out how Lupin's gun works and helped me with planning where to put what scene. I apologize if Zenigata ever sounds ooc.  
> Remember to leave a kudos and/or comment!

I’m not exactly a religious man. Which is a bit hilarious considering I was a priest for about eight months following one of Lupin the Third’s apparent deaths. To this day I’m still not sure how he survived that explosion; there’s no way he survived unscathed. Faith and religion just haven’t been a big part of my life. My grandparents made a point to teach me and drag me along to every major festival and holiday as a child, but my parents rarely made the effort, and it’s hard to follow the festivals and feast days and holidays when you’re an adult traveling around the world on a moment’s notice. Religious ceremony doesn’t mean much when you’re alone in some crummy hotel room too exhausted to do anything other than pull your shoes and coat off and fall into bed. Festivals are hard to celebrate when all you have are packets of instant ramen. And the divine… deities don’t mean much when it feels like no one is listening.

At this moment, however, I am praying. I am praying that _someone_ is listening. Anyone, any god from any religion practiced in any part of the world. I don’t care which. I’m just praying that someone can hear me. Because right now, it’s the only thing I can do.

Lupin the Third is lying in a hospital bed two meters away. He’s been in that bed for three days. Three days since the raid on the Shake Hanz HQ. Three days since Ishikawa Goemon had tried to cut the thief in two. Three days since Enzo Bron had declared victory over him.

Three days since Lupin should have died.

The thief isn’t out of the woods yet, he is hooked up to practically every life-support machine imaginable, all of them performing the normal operations a body needs to do to survive because Lupin is still too weak for his body to do it on its own. It’s almost painful to listen to the machines, but they mean that Lupin is alive. The doctors have said that, if all goes well, they can try taking him off life-support in a few days. But Lupin’s improvement has been slow. Thus the praying.

It’s a miracle he’s even alive, really. Goemon had nearly killed him, and then immediately tried to save him. The bandage job wasn’t perfect, but it bought Lupin the few minutes needed to get him down to the fully staffed and stocked OR several floors down. Because of course there is a mini-hospital here. Just like it had a full security-suite including high-security holding cells.

Dr. Lamont and his team worked for hours, stitching Lupin back together. Lupin survived the surgery, and subsequent surgeries to repair the damage. The medical team has done all they could, Lupin’s recovery is in his own hands now, his hands and those of the Divine.

Thus the praying.

“Sir?”

“Wha-?” I sit up rather suddenly and look around. A hand is placed on my shoulder and I realize where I am and who is speaking. “Yata? Damn, I must have dozed off...”

“Come on, sir,” Yata says. “You’ve been here all day, you should rest.”

“I’m fine.” I shake off Yata’s hands. He’s my subordinate, not my mother. I just need some coffee, that’s all. I have to keep an eye on…

The sun was still up the last time I checked. Shit.

“I will keep an eye on Lupin, if you’d like,” Yata offers. “But I know you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in the last few days, and sleeping in a chair again isn’t going to help.”

I hate that he’s right. I haven’t slept well in a few days, and my back is still popping from sleeping in the same chair next to Lupin’s bed for the last two nights. Lupin isn’t going anywhere, he _can’t_ go anywhere. I don’t need to watch over him, I don’t need to guard him.

“I’ll let you know if anything happens,” Yata adds.

I sigh, and follow Yata out of the hospital room, but not before giving one last look back at Lupin. We make our way to the elevator, which takes us up a few floors to the residential suites. Because this building has those too, just like everything else. I fish around in my pocket before remembering the door is set to open by my bio-metrics. I place my hand on the handle, and the door unlocks with a soft chirp. I pause.

“Yata?”

“Yes, sir?”

“...Thanks.”

* * *

I am woken up by artificial tweeting. I fumble about for the source of the tinny birds as I slowly regain consciousness. Finally, my hand lands on the source of the noise that roused me and I grab it.

I miss the call.

A quick glance at my clock tells me it is just after nine. So this is what a full eight hours of sleep feels like? Kinda nice, won’t lie. I rarely sleep past 5 am out of habit; I really was tired if I slept a full four hours past that. I unlock my phone and redial the number that just called me.

“Sorry to bother you, sir.”

“What’s going on, Yata?” I ask, trying to sound as awake as possible. “Is it Lupin?”

“No sir, it’s Ishikawa,” Yata replies. “He, well, he’s still not eating.”

I groan. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

I hang up on Yata and climb to my feet. I fell asleep before I hit the pillow last night, but I at least took my clothes off. Still, I find a clean shirt and pants (clean courtesy of the facilities a floor below the lock-up), run my fingers through my hair, and grab my hat before leaving. I don’t need my coat, I’m not leaving the building. I haven’t left the building in days.

Whatever had driven Goemon to attack Lupin, it has to be something that Enzo said to him; Enzo was the last person to speak to Goemon before the fight, and while there wasn’t a camera that gave a clear view of Goemon’s face, his body language was pretty easy to read. Of course, Enzo Bron hasn’t been exactly forthcoming with what was said.

 _“It’s all on PeopleLog, Inspector,”_ he said the last time I asked. _“Everything is on PeopleLog.”_

PeopleLog. Bah!

Whatever the answer, it’s still eating at him. I got called down last night – no, two nights ago now because Goemon was suffering what could only be described as a _night terror_ . Ishikawa Goemon rarely shares his emotions and is sure to never show his fear even when faced with insurmountable odds. I mean for fuck’s sake he walks into the middle of firefights on a regular basis with nothing but his _sword_. The man has balls. But whatever his own mind had conjured up, it left him screaming in terror.

Whatever the emotions he is feeling now, they aren’t just showing, they’re _breaking_ him. And Ishikawa Goemon is not a man who breaks.

I stifle a yawn as the doors open, revealing a stark hallway. The security suite is the second door on the left. Inside I find Yata standing next to the head of security, an older Italian man named Giotto.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Dinner was still untouched when we went to give him his breakfast,” Giotto said.

“He hasn’t eaten anything since we took him into custody,” Yata added. “Though he is drinking. If he keeps this up, we may have to...”

“Nobody is force-feeding anybody!” I snap. “Where’s his breakfast.”

Giotto points a thumb to a tray over by the door that leads to the holding cells. I storm over, nabbing a chair on my way out. I am not dealing with this shit, not on my watch. Not again.

“Sir…?”

“Buzz me in, Yata.”

“But sir...”

“Buzz me in, Yata!”

There is a soft buzz and click a few seconds later, and I all but kick the door down. Goemon flinches in surprise, but I don’t have time to marvel at the fact that I got the drop on him. It’s only been three days and a handful of hours, but Goemon looks thinner. He looks utterly exhausted, eyes sunken into purpled sockets and cheekbones sharp enough to cut. My surprise at his appearance lasts only a second before I pretty much toss his breakfast at him, spin the chair around, and plonk myself on it.

Goemon looks at the food and then looks at me confusedly.

“I’m not leaving until you eat at least three-quarters of that,” I growl, fixing the most withering stare I can muster on him. “I’ll force it down your throat if I have to. I’m not having you try and starve yourself in my custody again.”

Goemon flinches slightly at _again_. He looks down at the food and, after a few moments, his right hand emerges from his sleeve, carefully picks up the chopsticks, and pulls off a tiny bite of rice. Relief floods through my body and I feel it dispel the tension in my muscles. As promised I do not leave until Goemon eats the majority of his food. He eats all of it before sliding the tray back to me. I pick it up, nod, and leave.

He never says a word.

* * *

_Lupin_ _i_ _s the first to move. Two shots in quick succession, both of which_ _are_ _intercepted and cleaved in two by Zantetsuken._ _A third follows a beat later, but is also deflected._ _Goemon use_ _s_ _the momentum from the block to_ _surge forward, reaching out to catch Lupin with his sword but the thief_ _i_ _s already gone,_ _literally flying away_ _. The_ _grappling_ _device in his watch pull_ _s_ _Lupin through the air. He manage_ _s_ _to change his_ _trajectory_ _and turn around in order to let off three more shots. This time, Goemon_ _i_ _s not the intended target. Instead, the bullets smash through one of the skylights. Glass shards rain down_ _around_ _Goemo_ _n._

_Two more shots, this time aimed at Goemon and disguised by the falling glass. Unfortunately, the ruse does not work, and Goemon dispatches the bullets with a single slice. Lupin grins and disengages the grapple, dropping to the ground. The two circle each other, daring the other to move._

_Off to the side, Ami and Fujiko exchange words. The girl seems nervous, the woman is unfazed, stoic._

_Goemon_ _is_ _the first to move. He lung_ _es_ _forward with two slashes. Lupin once again dodge_ _s_ _out of the way. He c_ _omes_ _to a stop and fire_ _s_ _. Goemon’s hair_ _i_ _s caught by the bullet, but it_ _i_ _s hard to tell if it hit anything else. Goemon changes his stance and grip. He’s been_ _waiting for this. Lupin’s Walther-p38 only holds_ _nine_ _rounds;_ _eight in the clip and one in the chamber_ _. Lupin has to reload, and until he does Goemon has the advantage. As if sensing this Lupin takes a tentative step back and begins to reach into his jacket pocket._ _Goemon slides his leg back_ _in preparation to attack_ _._

_And suddenly…_

_Goemon_ _freezes. He looks… surprised. He lowers his sword, leaving himself open to attac_ _k._ _Lupin begins to reload but sees that Goemon is not reacting as he should. The thief calls out to the samurai, but the latter does not respond. It is as if he is seeing something that isn’t there. His surprise morphs into shock and… fear?_

_Lupin steps forward, again calling out his opponent’s name. Ami also begins to call out a warning to him, a plea for the fight to stop. Lupin ignores her. He steps forward again. Again, calling out Goemon’s name. Goemon is trembling. Lupin reaches out..._

_He is too slow. One moment Goemon is completely open, his guard down, the next his sword is behind him as he follows through with his strike. There is a brief pause, and the fight is over. Blood bursts from Lupin’s chest and the thief crumples to the floor._

_Ishikawa Goemon XIII is victorious._

I pause the video and lean back. I’ve watched the security footage from every possible angle multiple times, and all I can say is something is wrong. Goemon would _never_ leave himself open like that. Up until the final few moments of the fight, Goemon was fighting with the singular goal of defeating Lupin. Every swing of his sword, every movement, every breath was calculated and precise. So why would he lose focus when he had the advantage? Lupin was out of bullets and, while he was light on his feet, he could only dodge for so long.

Yata had suggested it was a ruse, but I don’t think it was. Goemon is a straight forward fighter, relying on pure skill in battle; Lupin is the one who fights dirty. I rewind the footage and pause it just before Goemon delivered the final blow. The look on his face… he’s seeing something only he can see. But there’s nothing else there, only him, Lupin, Ami, and Fujiko.

“Damn it, Enzo,” I growl. “What did you say to him?”

I’ve also got tapes that show Enzo Bron was the last person to speak to Goemon, but the camera angles are strange. At times during the conversation Goemon is clearly looking at something off-screen on the ceiling, but none of the cameras capture what it was because they are all pointed down. Enzo speaks, adds something to PeopleLog, and Goemon suddenly storms off to confront Lupin.

I found the post made during their conversation: _Lupin III thinks Goemon is part of his collection_. It has an A rating.

Which is a load of bull.

I may not be part of his gang, but I know Lupin better than people realize. Goemon and Jigen are more than just collection pieces to him, just as Lupin is more than a boss to them. To say Jigen and Goemon are nothing more than living items in his collection is to over simplify a very complex relationship. Perhaps in someway Lupin does think of them as part of his collection, but they are also his allies, occasional rivals, brothers in arms, drinking pals, and anything else you can think of. My own relationship with Lupin is very complicated. Sure I want to see the little weasel behind bars, but I’ve also seen him do some good in the world, and hell, even worked with him. He isn’t the heartless bastard the world makes him out to be.

 _Lupin III thinks Goemon is part of his collection_.

When I interviewed Ami about the fight, she said that Goemon had mentioned the nature of his and Lupin’s relationship had been troubling him. Perhaps this fight was a long time coming. Perhaps Goemon had finally reached the breaking point. He is a straightforward person. He needed an answer, and he needed an answer _now_.

He needed an answer through the only way he knew how: combat.

I lean back and look over at the sword sitting in the corner. Really it should be down in security in a safe or something, but for some reason I insisted that I look after it. Yata cataloged it as evidence, as evidenced by the tag hanging off it.

Zantetsuken: the iron-cutter sword. Able to cut through almost any material known to man. An elegant instrument of death. Perhaps the sword knows the answers I am looking for. Too bad I don’t know how to wield it.

* * *

Ten days after the fight with Goemon, Lupin the Third is taken off life support.

Dr. Lamont had decided his patient was strong enough for it, so they began to remove the machines. Seeing Lupin without the machines attached to him is almost as nerve-wracking as seeing him with them. Almost.

I have returned to my chair in the corner. Yata is on Goemon duty. Ami was here for a little while before leaving. I haven’t spoken to her much, I’ve been too preoccupied with making sure Lupin and Goemon stay alive. And I want to give her space, y’know? She was just reunited with her dad, she needs time to get to know him. Bond with him. Though, I’m not sure if that’s going well. She ran out of his office crying the other day. She seems to be spending a lot of time with Fujiko, which I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

So it’s just me. Just me, in my chair, and Lupin. Out of habit, I start praying again.

And then I hear it. I hear him. A soft little “hng” and I am on my feet, beside the bed.

Lupin stirs. He shifts his body and finally, after several days, he opens his eyes.

“P… p’ps?”

I grin. “Hey there.”

Lupin blinks a few times and looks around.

“You’re in the Shake Hanz’s hospital floor,” I say. “You’ve been out for just over a week.”

He nods and looks at me. “G...go’mon,” he whispers. “Where’s… Goemon…?”

“He’s...” I pause. “He’s okay. He’s in a security cell.”

The thief flashes a weak smile and closes his eyes. He is asleep seconds later.

I sit down and chuckle. Of course, the first thing he asks about is the man who tried to kill him, the idiot.

Lupin wakes up again a few hours later and stays awake long enough for Dr. Lamont to ask him some questions and run a few quick tests. I am allowed to watch from my chair, just in case Lupin tries something, not that he could. The two converse in French because it’s perfectly natural for two people to revert to their native tongue when they find another speaker. My French isn’t perfect, but I’m able to follow along.

The thief goes along with the tests, and Dr. Lamont has the nurse record the results. Once finished, Lupin is given another round of painkillers. Before he dozes off, I slip a set of handcuffs around his left wrist.

Lupin looks at me lazily. “Really Pops…?”

“Just in case,” I say.

Lupin gives me one last glare before closing his eyes. I know the cuffs are overkill. He knows I know the cuffs are overkill. He couldn’t get out of bed if he wanted to, let alone out of this building. There is no way for him to escape, no backup plans, no daring rescue. Lupin the Third has finally been apprehended. It is the crowning achievement of my career.

It is a hollow achievement.

* * *

Director Smyth, my immediate supervisor, requests a tele-meeting with myself and Dr. Lamont the day after Lupin wakes up. He asks Lamont how Lupin’s recovery is coming along.

“He is doing well,” Lamont replies. “He is healing and regaining strength.”

“Good, Good,” Smyth says. “When would you say he will be ready for transport?”

Lamont looks at me, and then at the screen. “I’m not sure. Even under sedation, a trip to Japan would be incredibly stressful on his body...”

“Lupin the Third will not be returning to Japan, doctor.”

“What?” I barely keep my jaw from hitting the floor.

“He will be transported – along with Goemon Ishikawa – to France. When is the earliest he can make that trip?”

“I, uh, well, a few days I suppose,” Lamont stammers. “But I would recommend a week at least. He still needs almost ‘round the clock care, and will need some physical therapy.”

“I would agree,” I say. “Even if it increases Lupin’s flight risk, I would rather wait than risk complications mid-trip.”

“Unfortunately, inspector, the ICPO is not willing to take that chance,” Smyth says. “A ship will arrive in three days’ time in Olig Harbor carrying a specially designed holding container. A medical team will travel onboard to monitor Lupin’s condition.”

Lamont frowns. “I still do not recommend moving him for at least another week.”

“It cannot be helped. His trial needs to begin as soon as possible,” Smyth replies. “Now then, doctor, I need to discuss security and logistics with Inspector Zenigata.”

“Of course,” Lamont says. “ _Adieu_ , _monsieur_.”

As soon as the door closes I speak. “I’m not taking Lupin back to Japan? But I thought...”

“Things have changed, inspector,” Smyth says. “It has been agreed that, due to the nature of their numerous crimes, Lupin the Third and Goemon Ishikawa will be tried in the international court. Your orders are to accompany them back to France.”

“Isn’t that a bit risky?” I ask. “I thought the last place Jigen was spotted was on the French-Italian border.”

“Daisuke Jigen is in France, but is of no consequence.” Smyth waves his hand. “Thanks to PeopleLog, we have managed to uncover the majority if not all of Lupin’s – and subsequently his – safe houses, he has nowhere to go. Jigen was last seen in Nantes. His face is everywhere, and we can find him even if he is in disguise. He is trapped, it is only a matter of time before he is taken in.”

I grind my teeth. The phrase “dead or alive” hangs in the air. Jigen won’t go down without a fight. He’s already gotten into at least one shoot-out with the police and somehow slipped away. The longer he resists arrest, the more desperate and dangerous he becomes. He may not be as crafty as Lupin, or as straightforward as Goemon, but he is probably more dangerous than the two of them combined.

“From Olig, the ship will sail for one week to Marseilles. Once you and the prisoners arrive they will be transported via convoy to ICPO Headquarters here in Lyon.”

“And they will be transported together?”

“We were only able to secure one transport cell with the short amount of time, but it can carry two prisoners. Besides, did you not say yourself the other day that Mr. Ishikawa posed no threat to Lupin?”

“Yes, yes I did.”

Damn, using my own words against me. Whatever possessed Goemon to attack and nearly kill Lupin has left him. He hasn’t exactly been cooperative with the psychological screenings, but I know the fight has gone out of him. Lupin will need constant attention, and forcing Goemon to do it is one way of making sure he makes the trip.

“It’s almost done, Inspector.”

“What is, sir?”

“Your life’s work!” Smyth smiles. “After so many years, you’ve achieved what you set out to do! You must be proud of yourself! You have caught Lupin the Third!”

Y-yes, sir. Thank you sir.”

Smyth congratulates me further and then ends the call. I lean back in my chair.

Have I really achieved what I set out to do? In a way I have. Lupin the Third _is_ in custody. My custody. He is chained to his bed. And soon he will face justice in court.

But in another way, I haven’t. I never wanted to capture him like _this_. It’s like Italy all over again. Both times I had Lupin in cuffs because he was too injured to run. Because he was betrayed, because of something neither of us foresaw happening. I figured out that was the only way to catch him the first time I did it, but never really pulled it off again.

God, how many years ago was that night in the quarry? The first time I really caught Lupin. I can’t even remember. It was before I joined Interpol when I was still on the Tokyo force. Lupin was after some buried treasure of all things. I set the trap and caught Lupin red-handed, though he managed to have Jigen spirit the treasure away before succumbing to the tranquilizers. Won’t lie, it was nice to see Lupin behind bars, even if he did spend the year screaming that he wasn’t Lupin. It was far better than what he did in Italy…

Lupin was no more than a kid, and I was still some young up-start not much older than Yata. Times have changed, haven’t they?

* * *

As promised, the ship arrives in Olig Harbor three days later. I tell Goemon first, and he speaks for the first time in nearly two weeks.

“I see,” is all he says.

It’s only after I leave his cell that I realize I never told him that Lupin had regained consciousness, that Lupin had ultimately survived.

I then tell Lupin. The thief makes a remark about how nice southern France is this time of year. It is a poor cover for how he really feels at this moment. He’s been more responsive than Goemon, but hasn’t tried to flirt with anybody. He answers Dr. Lamont’s questions and goes along with his tests. The fight, the passion, is gone. Neither of us wanted it to end like this. I think we both expected it to end in either a firey shoot out, or retirement. And yet here we are, at the end of the chase.

The morning Lupin and Goemon are transported, Dr. Lamont gives the thief a light sedative to make the trip to the ship easier on him. Yata and I pack our things and head down to the waiting van. Goemon is led out under heavy guard. He’s thinner, his clothes look like tents on him. I am carrying Zantetsuken. Yata reminded me once again that the sword should technically be bagged and tagged, but I once again ignore him. Not because I’m fairly sure that if I do that Goemon will somehow know, but Goemon would somehow know. It is his sword, his life, and now it is mine to take care of. I keep it on the table of my tiny cabin.

The voyage is mostly uneventful. We make good time from Olig up the coast and through the canal. All shipping traffic has been halted to give us priority. It isn’t long before we are in the Mediterranean.

I watch on the survalence cameras as Goemon takes to nursing Lupin. As I suspected, the desire to kill the thief is gone. Lupin is still too weak to stand on his own for very long, but Goemon coaches him through various exercises to give them something to do. Goemon is allowed two laps of the ship once a day, and afterward he tells Lupin in great detail about what he saw.

We are two days away from Marseilles when I get a call from Director Smyth. It doesn’t start off well.

“I have some rather troubling news,” Smyth says. “It is in regard to some PeopleLog posts that have come to light in the past few days.”

“I haven’t been on PeopleLog since we left Olig,” I say. “Internet is too spotty.”

“Many posts are simply hearsay, and are rated as such,” Smyth continues. “However, there are a few that are far more serious in nature.”

“Oh?”

“They are in regards to some of your past run-ins and encounters with Lupin the Third. The three allegations that are of most concern are ones about the Cagliostro affair, your assignment to the Shell Shock investigation, and your actions in resolving the kidnapping of Rebecca Rossellini, among others.”

A finger of cold drags itself down my spine. “May I know the nature of these accusations?”

“That, despite his standing as a wanted criminal, in each of these cases you worked alongside Lupin the Third.”

The cold explodes and spreads through my veins. It is true, I worked with Lupin, or at least in Cagliostro called a truce with him, in each of those cases. But…

“Zenigata,” Smyth goes on. “I know that you are a man dedicated to upholding the word of law. Your record with Interpol and even the Tokyo police speak to this fact despite how long it took to take down Lupin the Third. For the moment, we have managed to keep these statements quiet; the world is still far more interested in Lupin than they are you. However, once you return to Lyon, you are to turn in your gun and badge.”

I’m pretty sure my jaw drops. It takes a few moments for me to process everything that I am hearing because _there is no way I can be hearing it_. This… this is…

“Am I to understand, Director,” I croak, “that once Lupin is in proper ICPO custody, I am under arrest?”

“No, Inspector, you will be placed on administrative leave pending an official investigation,” Smyth replies. “We have decided this would be best for all parties and would allow you to formally finish out the Lupin case.”

“Does… does Yata know?”

“I will be informing Lt. Goro following this conversation.”

I don’t really even register the rest of the conversation, I just go through the motions. Yes, sir. No, sir. Thank you, sir. Good-bye, sir. Until at last the conversation ends and with it my career. My whole life. Everything I ever believed in. My phone slips from numb fingers, and I nearly miss the bed as my legs give way.

No… no… this is not happening.

Then again, how could have ever thought this _wouldn’t_ happen?

PeopleLog has been uncovering secrets all over the world, from affairs to abuse of power to the inner workings of the world’s greatest thief and his crew. Of course it would find my past. I was an idiot to brush it off for so long. I was one of its first test subjects, months ago at the tech demo where Enzo Bron picked me out of a crowd and displayed my life on the big screen. I should have seen then how dangerous this technology was, how dangerous it is.

Just a few days ago, Smyth was congratulating me on a job well done. Now he is stripping me of my achievement. Oh sure, I get to finish it, but that won’t matter. I am about to lose everything that I have left. This job was all I had left, I sacrificed everything for it. My family, my home, my health, my reputation, all of it. Just to capture one man. And I couldn’t even do that right…

It’s not like the ICPO didn’t _know_. I’m a stickler for details, everything goes into my reports. The reports for those three incidents, and a handful of others, they are the doctored versions, but a handful of people know the true account of events. No, this is not because I worked with Lupin on a handful of occasions. This is to prevent the loss of confidence in the ICPO. This is to save face. This is because they need a scapegoat.

I nearly jump out of my skin when someone bangs on my door.

“Inspector? Inspector Zenigata? Are you in there?”

Yata.

“Inspector I just got off the phone with Director Smyth and I… I’m sorry sir. Please, are you in there?”

“Go away, Yata,” I moan.

“Please, Inspector...”

“Leave me alone.”

“No.”

“Damn it, Yata...”

“I’m not leaving. Not until I hear the truth.”

“It’s all on PeopleLog, you can wait until we reach port.”

“I want to hear it from you, sir, not some computer program.”

Slowly, I get to my feet and stumble to the door. I wrench it open. I tell him the truth.

* * *

We are unable to enter the port the next evening and are forced to wait out the night in rather large swells until the sea is calm enough for us to take on a pilot. A crowd is waiting for us when we finally dock, and in the middle of it is Director Smyth, talking to reporters and addressing a wall of cameras and microphones.

Yata and I walk down the gangway while Lupin and Goemon are lifted off the ship in their container, which is then lowered down onto the back of a waiting truck. Before I can stop him, Yata takes off running down the gangway and starts forcing his way through the swarm of reporters towards Smyth. I curse under my breath and follow him. That kid is going to get himself in trouble. He’s going to get both of us in trouble.

“What was the decisive factor in catching the elusive Lupin III after all this time?” a reporter calls out.

Well, taking a sword to the chest didn’t help…

Director Smyth’s response is much more diplomatic. “It’s all thanks to the years of collaboration between our organization and the police forces of our member states.”

“Hold on a second!”

Goddamn it, Yata. I pick up my pace.

Yata forces his way into the center of the crowd. “What are you saying? Inspector Zenigata is the one who arrested Lupin!”

Shit.

“No one is denying that Zenigata contributed greatly to this investigation,” Smyth replies.

A reporter turns to Yata. “A lot of people think that Lupin was only arrested thanks to PeopleLog,” he says.

“Pardon me!” I pull a cameraman away from his sound guy in my effort to reach Yata.

“It only had the data to predict Lupin’s actions because Inspector Zenigata was always on his tail!” Yata is furious now. “His career has been stuck in a rut since the day he was put on the Lupin case. Didn’t you just force this case on him?! Making him a dedicated Lupin investigator… that’s like telling a salesman to hawk something nobody would ever want! And in spite of it all, Lupin’s finally in custody, and all you can do is...”

I finally make it through the reporters and place my hand on Yata’s shoulder. He needs to stop before he says something that will make the situation worse. “That’s enough, Yata. Dealing with the press isn’t our department.”

“But sir!”

“Let’s head back. The job’s not done until Lupin is behind bars.”

The reporters part before me, not entirely sure what to make of the scene they just witnessed. They are surprisingly quiet, no one throws any questions at me. Do they know? Smyth said they were keeping the news quiet but, they have to know. I haven’t had the heart to check for the posts myself, but they have to be up there.

The crowd of reporters starts shouting questions and Smyth resumes giving answers once we are clear. Yata and I make our way to the waiting convoy. Lupin and Goemon’s container has been secured to the transport vehicle. Along with the truck, the convoy is comprised of several patrol cars, a half-dozen armored vehicles, and air support. It’s as much pageantry as it is security, a display of authoritative power. It’s ridiculous. I sigh and climb into the passenger seat of the car Yata and I will be in. We are to take the rear.

It’s a three-hour drive to Lyon. All traffic along the route has been cleared, we are the only cars on the road for kilometers. Once outside Marseilles, we turn off the sirens. No one is around to hear them. Sometimes I catch sight of onlookers out in fields and side roads.

This should be the triumph of my career. My crowning achievement. I should be ecstatic, over the moon, and yet… I just want it to be over. I’m so tired. I’m so tired of it all. I’m not as young as I used to be, and for the first time in ages, I feel every single year my body has existed on this Earth.

It'll be over soon.

The first two hours, we drive in silence. I watch the French countryside go by. Lupin was right, southern France is lovely this time of year. Too bad he can’t see it from inside that container.

“Y’know, Yata,” I say. “I’ve been hunting Lupin for a long time now. I caught him a few times, too, and I wasn’t the only one who did. But in the end, he’d always get away.”

“That wasn’t your fault, sir,” Yata says.

I close my eyes. “What I want right now is for him to serve his debt to society, and then to share a drink with him when he’s done.”

Yata glances at me, a bit confused and a bit concerned.

“That’s why, Yata, I have to take him down by the book. I need to make him realize that he’s been beaten. I need to appeal to Lupin’s heart.”

Yata mulls over what I have said. “I think I understand, sir.”

I sigh. Yata’s a good kid and a better officer. Hopefully his association with me won’t impact his career too much. I’ve tried to teach him what I can…

“They’re stopping the convoy.”

“Those fools...” I shake my head.

The gunfire and explosions start not a minute later. Smyth never did confirm that they had Jigen in custody...


End file.
